Monthly Archives: July 2010

We are so into “new” in America. Marketing experts know that if there is any conceivable way that they can find to put the word “new” on a product, it will improve the product’s chances of getting a look, a second look, and an eventual sale.

Most Christians would probably be surprised to find out that the number of Bible translations in the English language is fast approaching 500. That’s right! There are almost 500 translations. Of course many of them are so obscure, odds are that you will never hear of them, let alone ever see them.

Step into you average Christian bookstore and you will have to face the choice between several translations. No, you won’t have hundreds to choose from, but you will probably have the option between most of these popular translations:

Have you seen the fourth and final verse of The Star-Spangled Banner by Francis Scott Key? Here it is:

O! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

2011 marks the 400th anniversary of the publication of the most influential book in English and American history: the King James Version Bible (KJV). What better way is there to celebrate this occasion by reading it? Consider joining me and many others as we take on this rewarding challenge.

Yes, the language is antiquated. But it also has a beautiful rhythm to it. Another advantage I have noticed in reading the King James is how it causes me to slow down and concentrate more. Because the language is more difficult, it forces me to think more about what I am reading, which creates a great opportunity for me to meditate on the meaning.

If you are on Facebook, hop over to the group I’ve started and sign on!